A Strange Piece of Temperamental Magic
by thatgirlinredandgold
Summary: After being left in the care of their capable grandmother, Molly Weasley, young James, Al, Rosie, and Lily get into a spot of trouble when Uncle Percy decides to leave a time turner with his mother. They find themselves in the middle of a war long thought to be over, where danger could be lurking anywhere.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm back! After way longer than I had previously anticipated, I have returned to fanfiction with a new story! To those of you who follow Phoenix Rising, not to worry, I'll write more soon. I promise. But until then, read and ENJOY!**

"It's just two days Lily! Two! Mummy and Daddy will be back before you know it!" Harry pleaded to his two year old daughter, but his voice was drowned out by her shrill cries. "Please Lily? Hugo will be there! You love playing with Hugo!" She clung still tighter to his neck.

"You best let me take her, dear." Molly Weasley said, reaching her arms out to grab the screaming toddler from her son-in-law.

"Are you sure you can handle the five of them for the weekend?" Lily's going through that clingy phase, and you know how James and Al can get…"

"We'll be fine. Rose will help keep the boys in line, isn't that right Rosie?" She called back into the house.

"Sure thing Gran!" Said the red- headed four year old from where she sat reading a picture book.

Harry smiled and leaned down to give Lily one last kiss as she was still whimpering into her grandmother's neck. "Bye Lily." He told her, then straightened up. "Bye boys!"

He heard heavy footsteps as his youngest son burst into the living room at full force. "Bye daddy!" Al said with his face buried deep into Harry's chest. "Have fun with Mummy and Uncle Ron and Aunt 'Mione!"

James followed, though not as exuberantly as his brother. "Bye Dad." He said, giving his father a hasty hug before running back into the kitchen to play with Al.

….

"James Sirius, would you please stop tormenting your brother!" Molly Weasley said, rubbing the bridge of her nose impatiently. Two hours and James and Al had caused enough fights to put all her children to shame. It was always the same. James would pick a fight, then Al would retaliate, and it would continue to escalate until Molly had to step in and separate the two. Then they would play like nothing had ever happened. Ten minutes later and it all started again. It was a wonder that Lily and Hugo were able to stay asleep with all the noise going on.

"But Gran! Al took my action figure!" James whined, pointing an accusatory finger towards his brother.

"No I didn't!" Al yelled. "Rosie took it! She loves playing with dolls!"

Rose looked up at hearing her name. In her hands were clutched two dolls; a blonde witch and a Quidditch player. Her chin started to quiver. "I'm sorry James!" She cried. "But Wendy needed a boyfriend!"

James seized his figurine from his cousin's grasp. "Viktor hates girls. He thinks they have cooties!"

"I'm sorry!" Rose sobbed. "I didn't mean it!"

"James! Apologize!" Molly scolded.

"I'm sorry Rosie." James sighed, defeated.

Rose's cries subsided. "I'm sorry too."

CRACK!

The sound of somebody apparating brought everything to a halt. Al ran towards the door to let the person in without checking who it was.

"Why hello Albus." Came a pompous, yet familiar voice. "Are your parents here?"

"No Uncle Percy. They went on holiday. Gran's watching us." Al answered politely before scurrying away as quick as possible.

Molly walked over and hugged her son tightly. "Percy! I haven't seen you in ages! I hope you weren't avoiding me on purpose."

"Hello Mother. I'm sorry to say that this isn't just a friendly visit. I have something I need to discuss with you."

Molly looked at him expectantly.

"In private, if you don't mind." He finished.

Molly blinked uncertainly. 'Well, okay. In the kitchen." She ushered her son past the kids and into the next room, shutting the door tightly behind her. In less than a second, James gave Al a mischievous smirk and rushed forward, pressing his ear against the door. Al wasn't far behind.

Rosie looked appalled. "Al! James! Uncle Percy said he wanted to talk in private!"

"But Rosie!" Al whined. "All the good conversations happen in private!"

Seeing that they weren't going to budge, she sat down in a huff, though secretly keeping her ears wide open.

"I must ask you a favor mother." Percy started. "As you know, I have recently been promoted to Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic."

"Yes, yes, of course."

"Well, my first task was to write a report on a new piece of developmental magic." At this point Percy took something out of his pocket and showed it to his mother who let out a small gasp.

"But how did they… I thought they were all destroyed?"

"They were. But the unspeakable have been working on a new one for several years. It is still in its testing stages, very temperamental, you see. I couldn't take it home and run the risk of Molly or Lucy finding it."

"I see your concern Percy, really, but I can't take it. There are kids staying here for the weekend and…"

"yes, yes, I know. But there are so many more places for you to hide it here. Surely they won't-"

"Clearly you haven't babysat James." On the other side of the door James smiled slyly to his brother.

"Please?"

"Well alright. But just for today."

"Of course! Well, I best be leaving. I'll see you tomorrow Mother!"

A resounding crack signaled that it was okay to enter the kitchen again.

"I suppose you heard all of that?" Molly asked her grandchildren. James, Al, and Rose nodded guiltily.

"Well, I don't want you three looking for what your uncle dropped off. You have no business with it."

A muffled cry sounded from upstairs. "that will probably be Hugo. Remember what I said." She warned.

They waited until the sound of their grandmother's footsteps past directly above them before all three were searching the kitchen frantically. "I've got it!" Rose called quietly. In her hands dangled a gold chain with a golden hourglass.

"Rose!" Scolded an angry voice.

She set the necklace back on the edge of the table so quickly it was if it had burned her. She ran to give her grandmother a hug in hopes to pacify her. It didn't.

"Time out! All three of you! That necklace is extremely dangerous! If it would have fallen, or-" Two loud cries echoed from upstairs. "Now look what you've done! You've woken up Lily and Hugo! You know how long it took me to get them to fall asleep?" She ushered them into the living room and sat them down in opposite corners before stalking upstairs, still muttering under her breath.

A few minutes later and the kids were let out of time out to resume playing. A temporary peace seemed to fall over the house. Rose had gone into the kitchen and was coloring a picture on the table. Lily was sitting beside her and babbling on and on as she too picked up a crayon and started scribbling _on_ the table. Hugo was watching transfixed as Molly knitted a pair of brightly colored socks. However, it wasn't long before-

"Give it back!" Al cried as James laughed triumphantly, waving the light blue blanket above his head.

"You're going to have to catch me first!" He taunted, racing into the kitchen.

Molly set her knitting down and placed her head in her hands, slowly counting to ten. Couldn't they be still for one moment? No sooner had she thought this that a loud crash boomed through the house, followed by complete and utter silence.

"Oh no. Merlin, please no." She picked up Hugo and rushed into the kitchen. Not a single one of her grandkids were in the room, replaced by a light mist starting to dissipate. As the mist started to clear, her heart gave a lurch when she saw a glint of gold from the time turner, completely shattered on the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

**A few days for an update? That must be some sort of record for me! Thank you to all who gave some sort of feedback, but a really big thank you to bittersweetsomebody and nannyandpotocrazy. They were the only 2 (2 reviews? Really? I know you guys are better than that!) who reviewed. To be honest, reviews are the only thing that keep me motivated to write. So to put it simply, if you want more chapters you have to take the time to REVIEW! It takes two seconds, honestly. Just tell me something you liked, give constructive criticism, plot suggestions, guesses about the next chapter. I love reading it all!**

**Anyway, enough of my desperate rambling. Here's chapter two. Enjoy and review!**

**P.S. I also reply to ALL reviews. Just saying...**

"I told you to give it back!" Al cried, not bothering to notice anything out of the ordinary.

Rose, ever the observant one, was a different case altogether. She noticed the change almost immediately. "James! Give it back to al! Something's happened…"

James stopped running away from his brother and gave Rose an incredulous look. "What are you talking about? I didn't see anything." Al seized this opportunity to take back his blanket.

Rose held up a finger signaling, "one second" and peeked her head through the door and into the living room. "Where are Gran and Hugo?"

"Hugo!" Lily squealed, giggling loudly. "Hugo! Hugo! Hugo!"

The three older kids ignored her. "But they were just there!" James said, joining Rose by the door.

Al stayed firmly rooted to the spot. "Sh- she d-didn't leave u-us, did sh-she?" He started to cry, burying his face in his blanket.

"She's coming!" James cried, all sadness forgotten. "And she's brought Mummy and Daddy! She must've gone outside to get them."

Al rushed over to the window. "Hagrid's coming too!"

The group of four stopped suddenly and Molly started to rush towards the house. Al quickly jumped off the chair he had been using to see out the window, knowing how much his Gran hated when he climbed on things. Once off, Molly Weasley burst into the kitchen.

She hurriedly started rummaging through the cabinet. All at once, she froze, turning slowly back around. The four small children looked at her expectantly as her mouth dropped open to form a small "o".

"What's wrong Gran?" James asked curiously.

"What's go- who are you?" She sputtered.

"Very funny Gran. Like you don't know who we are." James gave her a positively impish grin.

"Everything alright Mum?" Ginny asked, coming into the kitchen. She stopped. "What's going on? Where did they come from?"

"I don't know." Molly answered, her eyes never leaving the children. Her gaze was cool and calculating, trying to figure out the mystery.

Lily squealed excitedly upon seeing her mother. "Out! I wan' out!" She struggled against the restraints of the high chair.

Ginny stared at her as if the child had two heads. She was forced out of her stupor when James prodded her in the side. "Aren't you gonna get her out, Mum?"

"Why should I?" Ginny asked, not fully registering the sentence.

James rolled his eyes and gave her an exasperated sigh. "Be_cause, _I'm not allowed to pick her up on account of that one type I dropped her when she was really little. That's what you and Dad told me."

She looked at him quizzically. "But I never-"

Understanding seemed to dawn on little Rose. "James! They must be playing a trick on us! That wasn't very funny Aunt Ginny. I think you scared Al." Al was indeed on the verge of crying.

A blue light suddenly illuminated the small kitchen and the rumble of frantic voices broke through the moment. The front door flew open and several people flooded in. A flash of bright red hair was all Molly needed to see before she frantically followed the group. Ginny started to follow but was stopped by her mother. "Stay here and watch them. Do not let them out of your sight."

"But Mum!"

"No arguing. Stay here."

"What's goin' on?" Al asked innocently. "Did something happen to Uncle George? Is he gonna be okay?" He tried to peak around his mother but she stepped in front of him.

"Stay here.' She demanded before rushing into the living room. Being on the receiving end of their mother's wrath one too many times, not a single Potter dared to move an inch. But they didn't need to. Half of the party had moved into the kitchen. A strange man had just pushed Harry into the kitchen, grabbed the collar of his shirt, and pushed him against a wall.

"What creature was in the tank in my office during your third year? Answer me!"

Albus saw the look of frightened shock on his father's face and came to his rescue. Puffing himself up to look as intimidating as it is possible for a four year old to be, he gave the man a push. "Don't yell at my Daddy!"

Remus loosened his grip on Harry and stared at the small boy. "Who _are _you?"

Al ignored him and continued trying to push him over.

"It was a grindylow, wasn't it?" Harry asked.

Remus blinked at him in surprise. "Oh yes, yes, of course." He answered, releasing Harry. "I'm sorry, I just had to check. He knew you were being moved tonight. We've been betrayed."

Lily had been silently watching the scene unfold before her, but as soon as she noticed a lapse in the conversation her mouth screwed up in anger and she let out a sharp cry. Remus and Harry jumped, shocked by the sudden noise. "Daddy!" She screamed, holding both her arms out as far as they would go. "Daddy!"

"Pick her up Uncle Harry." Rose said, tugging gently on his sleeve. "That's why she's crying."

"But I don't-" Harry was saved from answering when there was another flash of blue light and Rosie's face turned up in a huge smile.

"Mummy!" She exclaimed, rushing past Lupin and to the front door. She threw her arms around an utterly bewildered Hermione. "I've missed you so much! James and Al were fighting a lot and Gran had to yell at them. Then Uncle Percy came over and gave somthin to Gran, and I found it. Gran got really mad, but it wasn't my fault! James and Al made me do it! I got put in time out. I'm really sorry Mummy. But I drew you a picture! Lily was coloring too, but she's just a baby so she only scribbled. But mine was a pretty picture. It had me, you, Daddy, and Hugo in it and we were all at the Chudley Cannon's game. And guess what! They were winning! It was a really good picture, 'cept I don't know where it went."

Hermione stared at the strange child who was still clinging tightly to her waist. "Do I know you?"

Rose rolled her eyes and let go of Hermione's waist, this time opting to hold her hand. "Of course! You've only been gone since this mornin'! That's when you dropped us off! Did you already forget about me?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Are you being silly Mummy? Aunt Ginny was being silly too. And Uncle Harry. And pretty much everyone."

Another blue light signaled the arrival of two more people. This time, the new arrivals were sprinting at full speed towards the house. As they got nearer, little Rosie could see the terror etched onto both their faces.

"Where is he?" Mr. Weasley demanded, pushing past Hermione and Rose. Rosie had never seen her grandfather look so upset, and it scared her. She clutched Hermione's hand tighter just as the second figure pushed past them. "Uncle George? I thought you were lying on the couch. It looked like you had a big owie."

The man barely took in the child's presence. He muttered, "I'm Fred." And continued his way towards his brother.

"Fred?' Rose wondered aloud. Hermione finally succeeded in pulling her hand from the child's grasp and rushed to join the rest of the group huddled around the couch. Rose followed.

"Mummy, why is Uncle George hurt?" She asked.

Hermione finally looked at the child fully, and noticing her scared expression, her face softened. "Listen, I'm not your mum. I don't even know you."

Rosie's chin jutted out as her eyes filled with tears. "Stop it! STOP IT!" She screamed in frustration. "Yes you _do _know me! I'm Rosie! I'm four years old and you're my mummy! You read me a bedtime story every night and you help me bake cookies for Daddy for when he gets home from work and you sing songs with me and Hugo and tell us how much you love us! You can't forget me Mummy! I thought I was your little princess!" Rose sat down in a huff and started crying openly. Her sobs caught the attention of everybody in the room.

Hermione got down to where Rosie was sitting and tentatively patted her back. "Rose, I think you have me confused with someone else. I'm not your mum."

"Yes you are. You're Hermione Jean Weasley and you're my mumy." Rose replied, her voice muffled by her hands which were covering her face.

"But that's not possible."

"Stop it Aunt Mione!" Said a new voice, a young black haired boy who was awkwardly carrying a squirming toddler in his arms.

"Gran, I'm scared…" whimpered yet another new voice as he tugged on Molly Weasley's sleeve. " I don't like this game."

Molly's heart melted, staring at the small children. They all seemed so lost, and all they needed was some reassurance. She bent down to pick up the boy.

"Don't!" Remus yelled, startling Molly into standing upright once again. "This isn't right. We don't know anything about these children."

"Remus, surely you aren't suggesting that these _children_ are Death Eaters?"

Tonks stepped up next to her husband. "Molly, what I think my husband is trying to say is-"

"Children! They're only children!"

Bill was next to take the stand. "Mum, You Know Who could be trying to manipulate us. You know what he's capable of."

"Arthur! Back me up!"

"I want to Molly, but I agree with Bill. You Know Who might be trying to break his way into our daily l-"

"Merlin, Arthur! They're children! They're obviously frightened and screaming about You Know Who isn't going to help that!"

Lily had somehow managed to wriggle free of James's tight grasp and toddled over to her uncle, who was still laying down on the couch, dazed but awake. "Uncle George get owie? Lily give kiss and make it better."

"Oh yes Arthur. They're truly evil."

**One last time to beg? REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here we go, chapter 3! Read. Enjoy. Review!**_  
_

_2010_

A knock shattered the panic which had set deep into Molly Weasley's heart. Wordlessly, she crept from her stoic position she had taken to in the kitchen and started to walk towards the door. The day's events were written all over her face. Once she reached the door, she opened it tentatively. "Oh, Harry! Ron! Thank Merlin! Where are Hermione and Ginny?"

"Well you know Hermione, she's trying to get into the Ministry's library. Ginny went with her." He stepped over the threshold. Even though he knew it would be in vain, he couldn't stop himself from scanning the room for his missing daughter. She wasn't there. He sighed. As soon as he had received the owl from his mum, he knew the situation was desperate.

"Molly," Harry started. "You have to tell us exactly what happened."

Molly burst into tears. "I'm so sorry! It's all my fault! I should've told Percy to take that bloody thing back to the Ministry! Now my poor grandchildren could be anywhere and it's all my fault!"

Ron's ears turned red, an unmistakable sign of impending anger, "Percy did this? That git!"

Sensing his friends anger, Harry stepped up. "Where did this happen?"

Molly rubbed her sleeve across her nose and dabbed her eyes. "In here…" she answered, leading the two into the kitchen.

"Da'!"

"Hugo! Oh thank Merlin!" Ron exclaimed, running over and picking up his son, holding him tight to his chest. This caused a fresh sob to well up within Molly.

"Ronnie… I'm so sorry." She whimpered, placing her hand on his shoulder.

He shrugged it off. "We need to know exactly what it was if we want any chance to see our children again." Ron told Harry.

Molly tried to mask the pain of her own son's rejection. "It was a time turner, I think…"

"What do you mean you think?" Ron snapped. "Was it a time turner or not?"

"Ron you need to calm down." Harry said.

"Calm down? Calm down? Why should I calm down? My daughter is missing!"

"In case you haven't noticed, Ron, all my children are missing!"

"Boys! Don't start fighting! Be mad at me! It's my fault."

The red slowly left Ron's face at his mother's words. "You're right, as always."

"Ron!" Harry yelled, shuddering at how much he sounded like Hermione. "It's not your fault Molly. Knowing James, he probably got into something he shouldn't have."

"We've got it!" Harry's vision was temporarily blurred as a wild mass of bushy brown hair passed in front of him.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked quickly, intercepting his wife.

Ginny stepped into the kitchen just behind Hermione. "We figured- well I should say Hermione figured out how to find the kids!"

"Really? Hermione, that's brilliant! How'd you do it?" Harry asked.

Hermione was absolutely beaming. "Well it was simple really. I was talking to Kingsley and he said that he had sent this experimental time turner home with Percy so he could write a report on it, but Percy, as we now know, took the time turner to his mother for safe keeping.

"When you say experimentally, you don't mean dangerous…?" Molly asked nervously.

"Not at all! Well, I guess that depends on your idea of dangerous. But the time turner is able to turn back years, not hours. It's actually very interesting magic-"

"Hermione, not really the time." Ron cut in.

"Oh yes, sorry. Anyway, the time turner is in its very early stages of development, so it can only go back a couple of years, as opposed to hundreds."

At the thought of her grandchildren being stranded hundreds of years in the past, Molly Weasley let out a frightened squeak.

Harry let out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "How many years?"

"Roughly fifteen."

The color drained from Harry's face. "Fifteen years ago the war with Voldemort was just beginning."

Ginny saw the distressed look on her husband's face and hurriedly crossed the kitchen to be near him. "But they could be anywhere within the last fifteen years, it doesn't mean they have to live through the war."

"How does this help us get them?" Ron asked, trying to seem unfazed, but his relief was obvious.

Hermione grinned. "Kingsley gave me their only other prototype." She held out a long gold necklace, identical to the one that had crashed into the same room just hours before.

_1997_

A silence had settled into the Burrow, penetrated only by the icy glares emitting from Mrs. Weasley.

"Honestly Molly, I never said they were evil. I simply said we should be careful. You Know Who would do anything to try to get to Harry. You know that." Arthur explained, trying in vain to comfort his seething wife.

"You Know Who?" James interrupted. "Do you mean Voldemort?"

The entire room, save Harry, drew in a collective gasp.

"Molly, please. Listen to them. That little boy said You Know Who's name like it was nothing. I'm not saying we should just turn the out into the streets, but we need to make sure they are who they say they are." Arthur explained.

"Oh?" Molly asked incredulously. "And how do you suppose we do that?" Everyone in the room could tell by her tone that she guessed the worst. The room couldn't meet her eyes. They would never stoop that low. After all, they weren't Death Eaters.

"Veriteserum." Harry spoke up suddenly. The entire room turned to stare at him.

"We can't just use veriteserum on children, Harry." Hermione said, eyeing Rose warily.

"If what these kids are saying is true, them some of them are mine. I give my permission, as a possible parent, to use veriteserum on my son." Hermione and Molly still looked unsure, but the rest of the room seemed to be in agreement. "Look, Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, it's better for the kids if we trust them. I mean, look at that little girl. She's in tears because her 'mummy' doesn't know who she is." Hermione looked incredibly guilty. "We need to know for sure." Harry finished.

"Fine." Molly said reluctantly. Hermione nodded in approval.

"Daddy, what's verit-, verite-, that stuff?" The youngest boy asked curiously.

It took Harry a moment to realize it was him who was being addressed. "It's a potion that makes you tell the truth."

"I don't need a potion to tell the truth!" Al said proudly. "I don't ever lie, 'cause Mummy said that if she ever finds out that we told her a lie, she's gonna take away our toy brooms!" He leaned in real close to Harry and whispered the last part. "James had his broom taken away loads of times!" He burst into a fit of giggles.

Harry managed to give the small child a smile. As much as he hoped the children were telling the truth, he didn't want to get his hopes up too high. After all, there was a war about to be fought and Harry had minimal chance of surviving it.

Arthur Weasley returned to the room with a vial of a clear liquid. He leaned down next to the oldest child. "Can you tell me your name?"

The boy looked back quizzically. "I'm James, Granddad. " He said matter- of- factly.

"Okay, James. Can you take a small sip of this for me?"

"Does it taste bad?" James asked cheekily. Fred and George let out amused snorts at their "nephew".

"Nope, you won't taste a thing." Arthur assured him.

"Well, okay then." James grabbed the vial out of his grandfather's hand and tipped it into his mouth. All at once his face glazed over and he stared into the room with a vacant expression.

Remus stepped forward to do the questioning. "What is your full name?"

"James Sirius Potter." He answered back.

"Parents?"

"Harry and Ginny Potter."

Molly Weasley let out a gasp of surprise and looked at Harry with teary eyes. "Oh, that's just wonderful!" She started to cross the room to give the future couple a congratulatory hug.

"Not now Molly." He said, though he too seemed happy.

"Siblings?" Remus continued, despite the interruption.

"That's Albus Severus Potter." James said, pointing to his younger brother who was trying in vain to get Harry's attention.

"Poor bloke." Fred said.

"What were you thinking giving your poor child a name like that?" George asked, turning to look at Ginny. She whacked them both in the back of the head, despite George's cries of "I'm injured!"

"And that's Lily Luna Potter. She's only two."

Lily looked up from her spot between Fred and George and giggle happily.

"And who else was brought here with you?"

"My cousin, Rose Weasley."

"And who are Rose's parents?"

"Ron and Hermione Weasley." James finished, his face slowly returning to normal.

"Told you." Rose said to Hermione, crossing her small arms across her chest.

But Hermione wasn't listening. She had a daughter with _Ron. _ It just didn't seem possible. She, Hermione Granger, had a child with Ron Weasley. She glanced down at Rose, who was walking across the room to go play with Al. Suddenly it was too much to handle and she slowly backed out of the room, her eyes never once leaving her daughter.

**I really hate to do this, but how about 20 reviews until next chapter? **


	4. Chapter 4

**Oh my God, I am so sorry. I reached 20 reviews so long ago! The problem is, I reached 20 reviews around the same time I started school so... Yeah 6 AP/Honors classes and a major part in a school show and a job is pretty time consuming. Thankfully, I'll be on fall break soon so I might be able to write more. No promises, because we all no what happens when I promise stuff. **

Chapter 4

It was several hours later, well past midnight, but Hermione Granger (apparently soon to be Weasley) had yet to move from her position in the garden. The kids had long since gone to sleep, but the young witch felt no desire to go inside. She felt terrible, walking out on her daughter like that. But what was she supposed to do? Immediately take to the role of parent as Ron had seemingly been able to do? That wasn't her. After all, Hermione was a practical and logical young woman, and there was nothing practical or logical about this situation. As long as she sat here beneath the tree she could pretend that nothing out of the ordinary had happened that night.

But it wasn't as if she was completely opposed to the little girl. Rose reminded her of everything she wanted: a family, with Ron, no less. It was simply shock, she supposed, that led her to her spot beneath the tree. She leaned her head back against the rough trunk and let out a loud sigh just as she started to here soft footsteps coming up beside her.

"Too much to handle?" Ginny asked, sitting herself down next to one of her closest friends.

"You could say that." Hermione answered back, refusing to look at her.

"Rosie was asking about you."

"Rosie?"

"That's what she likes to be called. She says you only call her Rose when you're mad."Ginny explained. Hermione remained quiet. "Look, I know it's hard, okay? I get that. You're not alone in this. I'm kind of freaking out too. Three kids that I apparently had with my _ex boyfriend _just showed up out of nowhere. If that's not a shock, I don't know what is. But I sucked it up for them. Because my kids are scared and Harry doesn't know what the hell he's doing. I bet you didn't think of Harry either, did you? He's never even had a real family before, now all of the sudden he's a father? He couldn't think straight the whole night! But you didn't even think of that. You're too concerned with yourself to even-"

"Ginny, will you slow down and let me get a word in? Please? I'm sorry okay. But I'd be horrible mother. You know that."

"All I know is that there is a little girl up in my room, and she's scared, and she just wants her mummy."

They sat in silence, neither really knowing what to say. Eventually, Ginny sighed and got up, deciding this was just a hopeless case. Hermione figured she should probably say something.

"You're right of course." She said. "I just got overwhelmed. I'm sorry."

"You should tell Rosie that. We just managed to get her in bed."

Hermione nodded and tentatively got up to follow Ginny. They both walked back to the Burrow in silence, neither really knowing what to say, though one last question still lingered in Hermione's head. "How's Ron with our- um, Rosie?"

Ginny giggled. "Merlin, those too are so alike. They talked Quidditch for ages! Rosie was telling Ron all about the time he took her to the World Cup which the Chudley Cannons just so happened to win. You should have seen his face! It was as if Christmas had come early or something."

Hermione allowed herself to smile. "I guess she takes after Ron then?"

"Oh, but she's absolutely brilliant! I've never seen a four year old with such a big vocabulary, using words like extrapolate and what not."

"Their conversation was cut off when Hermione stepped on a crumpled piece of paper near the front door. She bent down to pick it up and the crude lines of a child's drawing immediately caught her eye. It was the picture Rosie had drawn of their family. There was Ron and herself, smiling the toothless grins of stick figures, and standing next to Hermione was Rosie, and holding Rosie's hand was-

"That must be Hugo." Ginny said, peering over Hermione's shoulder. "He's not even two yet, according to Rosie."

"Hugo…" Hermione tried the name out, saying it slowly and precisely. "I like that name, always have."

"Well, obviously! You named your son that!"

Hermione smiled a real, genuine smile, for the first time. Ginny started to walk up the stairs and Hermione was about to follow when she stopped suddenly, stuffing the drawing of her future family into her pocket, keeping it safe and close.

…

Sometime later, long after Hermione had closed her eyes to go to sleep, she was prodded awake by a small voice.

"Mummy?"

Hermione took a minute to understand what was going on. "Rosie, what's wrong?"

"I'm scared Mummy."

Hermione sat up and scooted over on her makeshift bed to allow room for her daughter to climb up. "What's scaring you?"

Rosie snuggled up close to her mother. "I had a nightmare about Voldemort."

"Is he still around? Where you live I mean." Hermione asked worriedly. The thought having a family when Voldemort was still at large terrified her more than words could say. She had never allowed herself to think on it too much because the thought of it turning out anything like Harry's was just too horrible.

"No… but Daddy told me all about how you and Daddy and Uncle Harry beat him."

Hermione let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Oh, but Rosie, we win! There's nothing to be worried about."

"B- but in my nightmare he hurt you really badly! Daddy tried to help and then there was this green light and Daddy fell down. I went over to make sure he was okay and Voldemort just laughed! He just laughed! He hurt my daddy and he thought it was funny. Voldemort's just a big mean bully!" Rosie's voice started to rise with her hysteria as she started to cry. Hermione was completely at a loss of what to do so she just pulled her daughter close.

"It's okay Rosie. Daddy's just upstairs. Nothing is going to happen to him…" She continued to whisper words of comfort to her daughter, slowly rocking her back and forth, until she heard Rosie's breath even out. Hermione laid back down with Rosie still pressed against her, and allowed herself to drift back to sleep.

***wink wink nudge nudge* I get more inspired to write when people review. The only reason I wrote this chapter tonight was because I received a review on one of my other stories.**


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